The sport originated in England, and it is now played in almost all countries around the world. For the last two decades, the Chinese have dominated the sport.
Table Tennis is played on a rectangular table with a net in the middle that divides the table into two halves. A vertical marker line in the middle of each half divides it into two boxes.
A table tennis table is 2.74 meters long and 1.525 meters wide, and it is 76 cm above the floor.
Using a small racket, players hit a lightweight plastic ball back and forth across a table (also known as a bat or paddle).
Celluloid has been used in table tennis balls since 1902, but it has now been phased out. Since July 1, 2014, all international events have used plastic balls.
The hollow plastic balls weigh just 2.7 grams. The game is played in singles or doubles.
A serve is the first step in a play. Serves must land on the diagonally opposite box on the other side.
All subsequent shots are allowed to bounce anywhere on the opponent’s side of the table.
Serves are the only shots that can bounce once on the player’s own side of the table. All other shots must fall directly on the opponent’s side.
Regardless of which player gets the point off of a serve, each player alternately gets to serve twice. When an opponent is unable to return the ball to a player’s half of the table, points are awarded.
Table tennis matches are played in a best of seven sets format, with the winner being the player who wins the first four sets.
Each set is worth 21 points, and the winner must have a two-point advantage. If a player reaches 21 without a two-point lead, the match continues until one player has a two-point lead.
Do You Know What Table Tennis Room Size You Need?
It’s probably more than you think.
Table tennis has a smaller minimum size requirement than most other sports. Because of this, the game can be played almost anywhere.
However, just because you play table tennis in confined spaces does not mean that you should. Table tennis should be played in a dedicated area with adequate facilities available on a regular basis.
However, this isn’t always possible. The standard/level of competition being played will be the primary determinant in determining what table tennis room size you’ll need.
Let’s look at the various room sizes required for different standards/levels of table tennis competition. So, how big do you need a table tennis room?
It’s probably more than you think… Based on the standard of competition being played, these are the minimum size dimensions you’ll need for the playing area (this is the area required for one table tennis table).
Of course, if you want to play table tennis at home, you can use any space that will accommodate a table tennis table.
However, any area smaller than the recommended 8.5m x 4m (28 feet x 13 feet) will mean that you may be restricted in terms of stroke types and/or style of play.
But keep in mind that the goal is to HAVE FUN, so if you have only a limited amount of space but still want to play, just change your style.
Here is a list of the various size requirements for different levels of competition.
International Events, World Championships & Olympics – 14m x 7m
National Tournaments – 12m x 6m
National League – 10m x 5m
Local League – 9m x 5m
Recreational Play / Coaching – 8.5 x 4m
Table
A table tennis table has the following dimensions.
2.74m long
1.525m wide
76cm high
Net
1.83 long
15.25cm high
Lighting
Naturally, the size of the playing area is critical, but there’s another factor that’s often overlooked: It is critical to have uniform lighting throughout the playing area.
Many table tennis courts, according to my experience, lack specialist lighting. Instead, they rely solely on general room lighting, which is just not good enough. As a result, many venues are too dark.
The following should be the minimum light intensity over the entire playing surface (measured at table surface height) and the clear height from the floor to the light: The lighting criteria will therefore determine the minimum ceiling height, which will be 3 meters (10 feet) above the floor.
World Championship & Olympics – 1,500lux (5m above the floor)
International & National Tournaments – 1,000lux (4m above the floor)
National League – 500lux (3m above the floor)
Local League – 500lux (3m above the floor)
Recreational play – 300lux (3m above the floor)
Type Of Floor
However, something even more important than the table tennis room size and good lighting is the type of floor.
As your standard of play improves, a good floor and/or floor covering will likely become your number one priority.
The most important requirement for any type of flooring is that it’s non-slip because players must be able to move quickly and reposition their feet without slipping.
The floor must also be smooth and level, as well as strong enough to support the weight of the table tennis table and players.
Solid concrete and carpeted floors are completely unsuitable, while wooden semi-sprung floors provide the best surface.
The flooring must also provide good contrast between the tabletop surface and the surrounding areas, for both the players and spectators, so it should be non-reflective.
All of the major international table tennis tournaments now use specialist sports flooring like Taraflex. The reddish colour of this flooring, combined with the blue tables, creates a great setting for table tennis.
Room Temperature
However, you must also have the right room temperature.
The ideal room temperature is 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also critical to have adequate ventilation because condensation will make the floor slippery, and the ball will slide off your racket when using the reverse rubber.
You’ll also want to make sure that any air conditioning units don’t create air currents that deflect the ball’s flight.
While spectator comfort should also be considered, the playing conditions must always take precedence.
Wall Color
Because the players need a good contrast between the floor, table, and wall colors, the color of the walls is critical.
They should be non-reflective and painted in a dark color up to a height of at least 2.5 meters (8 feet). To get the most out of the lighting, the walls should be painted a lighter color above 2.5 meters.
Also, any windows or other external light sources will need to be covered up.
Positioning & Layout
If you have a table tennis room that can accommodate multiple tables, they should be placed side by side rather than longways.
In a badminton court, for example, you can have four tables side by side. This allows for plenty of room for recreational play or coaching…
You should also have a gangway so that you can easily get to each court without disturbing the other courts.
Barriers
If you’re using more than one table, you’ll need some barriers.
Barriers between your table tennis tables will be extremely useful in preventing the ball from wandering too far and minimizing interruptions from other tables.
However, these table tennis barriers must be able to collapse rather than remain solid, so that any player who runs into them isn’t hurt.
They should be about 1.5 meters (5 feet) long and 75 cm (2 feet 6 inches) high, and they should surround the playing area.
Tips On Buying A Table Tennis Table For Home
I bought a table tennis table for my home a few years ago. It was a difficult decision.
Do I have enough room? Where will I store it? How much should I spend? Who am I going to play with? Am I really going to use it? Will I improve my table tennis skills?
There are so many concerns. I bought a table, a Butterfly Easifold indoor table tennis table, after weeks of deliberation and careful planning with my measuring tape.
It wasn’t the most expensive table available, but it met my needs and budget. I set up the table in my garage, bought a robot, and played a lot of table tennis.
Since that initial purchase, I’ve bought three more tables! I bought a 3/4-size tabletop for my lounge after my garage was converted to a bedroom.
My children outgrow this, so I bought an outdoor table for my garden. Then I decided to build a room in my garden so we could play table tennis all year long.
I bought a beautiful 22mm JOOLA World Cup Table for my new garden room. With all of these purchases, I’d like to think I’m an expert at buying a table tennis table for use at home.
As a result, I’ll share some tips on buying a table in this blog post, as well as a few suggestions for decent (and affordable) tables you can buy.
If You Don’t Have Much Space
Squeeze
If your room isn’t quite as big as the measurements above, you could just play with less space.
If you only have room for two or three steps back from the table rather than four, you can still play, but it will be more restricted.
You’ll have to play close to the table all of the time. You’ll smash your bat against a wall if you go back too much from the table (not good).
So, you can play with less space, but your options will be limited. I have about 1.5 meters of space at each end of the table in my garden room, which is less than the diagram above.
But I mainly use it to play with my children, so it is fine for this purpose. And if I use it to train with my robot, I simply push the table towards one end, giving me plenty of room to play.
Buy A Smaller Table
It’s possible to buy a smaller table, which is 34 times the size of a full-size table. I think this is fine if you’re just playing for the sake of having fun with friends and family.
You’ll have a lot of fun at the table. A 34-inch table is not ideal for serious training.
You will have to adjust from playing on a smaller table at home to a larger table at a table tennis club, which isn’t ideal.
Recommendations UK & USA
Butterfly Junior Table Tennis Table
JOOLA Midsize Table Tennis Table (note: this is 2/3 the size of a standard table)
PRO SPIN Midsize Ping Pong Table
Butterfly Junior Table Tennis Table
Table Top
Some people have a large enough room, but the space is already taken up by a dining room table. In this case, you may want to buy just the table top.
When not in use, this can be placed on top of the dining room table. Table tops come in a variety of sizes, including smaller (for use with smaller dining room tables) and larger ones.
After my garage was converted into a bedroom, I bought a table top. It was very easy to set up, and I was able to store the table top in my shed after use.
When my children were young, I found it to be perfectly acceptable to use. If you want to just have fun with family and friends, a table top is probably a better option.
It may not be ideal for serious training, as the dining table’s height differs from that of a table tennis table.
Recommendations UK & USA
Viavito Flipit 6ft Table Tennis Top
Butterfly Table Tennis Top
JOOLA Tetra table tennis top
Martin Kilpatrick Pool Conversion Table Top
Use A Wall & Robot
There wasn’t enough room on either end of the table for two people to play when I bought my first garage table.
As a result, I couldn’t play a two-player game. Instead, I just trained with my robot RoboPong 2050.
I could push the table right against the garage doors because the robot didn’t need any space back from the table.
This left me with plenty of room to play on my side. It was also great fun whenever we had a party. Everyone loved playing against the robot.
Outside
If you don’t have enough space inside, then buying an outdoor table tennis table is your only other option.
When my family grew, my garage had to be converted into a bedroom, and I had nowhere to put an indoor table.
So, I bought a Cornilleau Outdoor 600x Crossover outdoor table. If there was too much wind, playing outside was difficult, but on a nice sunny day, it was great fun.
The best time to play outside is between April and September. And you usually get two or three days each week when the weather is good enough to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are All Tables The Same Size?
The average length of any full-size ping pong table is almost always going to be 9 feet or 274.5 centimeters or 108 inches.
Thanks to the regulations enforced on all table tennis manufacturers, all official tables must meet this 9ft long standard
Is There A Difference Between Table Tennis And Ping Pong?
Table tennis and ping-pong are essentially the same game and there are no major differences between them.
Ping-pong is an almost identical game (although there are several variations, including the well-known game of beer pong, of course) that is played in a much more informal and social way
How Do I Choose A Table Tennis Table?
Play Surface: The first thing to look for in a table tennis table is the thickness of the top. Tops will range in thickness from ½” to 1”.
The playing surface should be at least 3/4 inches or 19mm thick. Anything of lesser thickness will warp too easily and not give consistent ball bounce.
Does The Thickness Of A Ping Pong Table Matter?
As a general rule, the thicker the surface, the better the table. The best ping pong tables for high-traffic recreational centers and competitive players are 25mm+ table tennis tables.
Beginners and game room buyers usually get by fine with cheaper ping pong tables that are in the 13mm to 15mm range
Conclusion
Table tennis is a sport that can be played almost anywhere. The minimum size requirements for playing table tennis are relatively small.
A good floor and/or floor covering is of paramount importance. Wooden semi-sprung floors provide the best surface.
Solid concrete and carpeted floors are unsuitable. The size of the room is dependent on what level of table tennis is being performed in the venue, whether it is for professional purposes or recreational use at home.
Other factors should be considered like ceiling height, floor type, the color of the walls, air temperature and lighting amongst other things.
Once this is figured out then all that is left to do is play some table tennis, and most importantly, have fun!
Hi! My name is Dave White, and I have been playing ping pong semi-professionally for the last 5 years. It is a big passion of mine, and I want others to experience the joy that comes with this sport themselves.
Through Spin Galactic I will be providing readers with all the information they need to know. From the best paddles and accessories to buy, to the easiest techniques for beginners to use. This site is the ultimate guide to all things ping pong and table-top sport related.
